Rules of engagement
KDSCP encouraged participation by a variety of market
actors to jointly assess blockages and opportunities in
each milk shed.
FACILITATOR ENGAGEMENT
Engaging local implementers or market facilitators firstly involved identifying and
selecting local organizations with the relevant qualifications and experience required. A
competitive bidding process was followed and potential facilitators were interview. This
process also involved demonstrating the benefits of involvement with the program and
explaining the role of the super facilitator and the local facilitator. Key activities involved
implementing calls for expressions of interest, facilitator scoring, selection and
assessment and leveling expectations via a pre bidding workshop (ensuring a level of
self-selection). A database of facilitators was developed by LOL.
INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Engaging the support of national institutions and Government and understanding their
interests and motivations is fundamental to program success. This involves agreeing an
MOU for engagement with each player; and also building their capacity to understand the
rational of the BDS approach and its ability to deliver impact plus adopt this more viable
approach via business opportunity seminars.
INTERVENTION DEVELOPMENT
Eight milk sheds (in 4 regions) were selected from the research phase for support during
program implementation. Requests for proposals were sent out to facilitators and then
bids evaluated. The initial groups of 8 facilitators were then each attached to a milk sheds
each with an agreed set of specific deliverables for the first year. This involved recruiting
a full time project coordinator in each milk shed plus overseeing the development of the
plan of support driven by the facilitators and involving the relevant SBOs and service
providers. Each facilitator was then given a fixed price contract based on their proposals
for engagement with the super facilitator. The budget was not split by program
component but need. Initial activities involved the development of capacity building
plans and the identification of relevant industry associations, SBOs, service providers
and processors. To remain demand driven the program insisted that all stakeholders bid
in some manner to be a part of the program.
By the second year the 4 more efficient and effective facilitators were selected to go
forward each taking 2 milk sheds. The competitive bidding process was maintained
throughout with facilitators reapplying annually for further engagement. Ultimately the
best have been used to replicate their strategies across other milk sheds. KDSCP's exit
strategy has been to continually reduce the number facilitators and their activities and
subsequent budgets year by year: and to ensure that local service providers are
empowered to address sector issues on a commercial basis.
FACILITATOR DELIVERY
Strategies and actions to improve the function of the market system in each milk shed
were agreed and implemented. This involved supporting stakeholders to bulk and market
the milk, brokering and fulfilling contracts; as well as linking farmers to relevant services
such as AI and feed suppliers, and establishing a check off system for those services
within the cooperatives. Action plans and MOUs guided this process. Importantly the
facilitator is given the autonomy to decide on the balance of activities between each
project component based on the needs of each milk shed.
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